Radelchis I of Benevento

Radelchis I of Benevento (1 January 790-1 June 851) was the Duke of Benevento from 839 to 851, succeeding Sicard of Benevento and preceding Radelgar of Benevento.

Biography
Radelchis was born in 790, and became the Chancellor of the Duchy of Benevento under Duke Sicard of Benevento. Sicard was assassinated at his instigation in 839 and his brother Siconulf of Salerno jailed, but Landulf I of Capua and Guaifer of Salerno freed Siconulf and proclaimed him prince in opposition to Radelchis. In 841, with the help of Saracen mercenaries, he sacked Capua, forcing Landulf to flee to Triflisco, where he founded a new settlement. Siconulf leased his own band of Saracens to fight Radelchis. This disturbed Louis II of Italy so much that he forced a peace on the two of them in 851, and he divided the principality permanently between the Duchy of Salerno and Duchy of Benevento. The Saracens were expelled from Benevento and returned to their home of Bari.